Who were the ancient Hittites? Excavations have revealed a civilization dating back to 3000 B.C.E, although this may not have been the origin of the Hittites. The Hittite’s coming was marked with the transition of art, which was marked by the Babylonian first dynasty falling. The Hittites were the supreme military, cultural, cultural force and political power in the 1400 to 1200 B.C.E whose capital was at Bogazköy, also known as Hattusas. They were a powerful civilization that had control over most of Anatolia. They flourished between 1600 1nd 1200 B.C.E and are supposed to have entered Cappadocia in around 1800 B.C.E. All recollection of the civilization was lost for millennia under the sand of Asia Minor, now known as Turkey. The Warrior
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They were one of the greatest powers in the ancient Middle East, by conquering Babylon and challenging Ramses II at the battle of Quadesh. In 1200 B.C.E the Phygians overthrew the Hittite powere in western Anatolia. The Hittites were destroyed in the movements the of sea people in 1180 B.C.E in a catalysm that effected the whole area
What was their religion? The Hittites believed that the world was populated by multitudes and plentitudes of spirits and divinities, and that the cosmos throbbed with ethereal life. They believed that gods inhabited realms above and below earth, and every rock, mountain, tree, spring and river. These weren’t abstractions to, but living entities. To them even substances like silver and fire were conscious living forces with human emotions. The Hittites were polytheists to the fullest possible extent, and by the time of the New Kingdom they practiced what is referred to as the extreme form of polytheism. Local Hattic deities predominated, but the political and military expansions made to the Hittite world caused the divine ranks of the pantheon to swell with members, many of were gods of city-states and kingdoms that succumbed to Hatti …show more content…
Their polytheism provided another dimension to the already high quantity of political, social and cultural acceptance. the Hittite Kings were at pains to develop dealings with their subjects. This is a reflection of a policy referred to as ‘conscious politically conditioned religious tolerance’ by Proffesor Akurgal. Their boast of a thousand gods demonstrated the extent of their conquest. It also demonstrated their policy of not only tolerating, but of absorbing and integrating elements of their own culture and society with others within their realm. It is apparent that the Hittite Gods, and those of the near eastern world may appear to have offered little that was morally or spiritually
They were one of the greatest powers in the ancient Middle East, by conquering Babylon and challenging Ramses II at the battle of Quadesh. In 1200 B.C.E the Phygians overthrew the Hittite powere in western Anatolia. The Hittites were destroyed in the movements the of sea people in 1180 B.C.E in a catalysm that effected the whole area
What was their religion? The Hittites believed that the world was populated by multitudes and plentitudes of spirits and divinities, and that the cosmos throbbed with ethereal life. They believed that gods inhabited realms above and below earth, and every rock, mountain, tree, spring and river. These weren’t abstractions to, but living entities. To them even substances like silver and fire were conscious living forces with human emotions. The Hittites were polytheists to the fullest possible extent, and by the time of the New Kingdom they practiced what is referred to as the extreme form of polytheism. Local Hattic deities predominated, but the political and military expansions made to the Hittite world caused the divine ranks of the pantheon to swell with members, many of were gods of city-states and kingdoms that succumbed to Hatti …show more content…
Their polytheism provided another dimension to the already high quantity of political, social and cultural acceptance. the Hittite Kings were at pains to develop dealings with their subjects. This is a reflection of a policy referred to as ‘conscious politically conditioned religious tolerance’ by Proffesor Akurgal. Their boast of a thousand gods demonstrated the extent of their conquest. It also demonstrated their policy of not only tolerating, but of absorbing and integrating elements of their own culture and society with others within their realm. It is apparent that the Hittite Gods, and those of the near eastern world may appear to have offered little that was morally or spiritually